The present invention relates to windshield wiper systems having windshield wiper arms, wherein the arms include brackets for supporting windshield wiper blades.
Conventional windshield wiper systems have at least a motor, wiper blade arms (generally two), and wiper blades. Wiper blade arms generally include a main bracket and a plurality of secondary brackets. Typically, the wiper blades are configured to slide into engagement with the secondary brackets. Some wiper blade arms are configured to carry one wiper blade, while other wiper blade arms are configured to carry multiple wiper blades. It is known that prior art windshield wiper systems having a wiper blade which runs the length of the wiper blade arm may at times not contact the windshield, thus reducing the effectiveness of the wiper blade in clearing the windshield. This problem is more pronounced when the windshield has a high degree of curvature.
There does not exist a windshield wiper system which may be configured to carry one or a plurality of wiper blades. More specifically, the prior art windshield wiper systems can not be converted from a one wiper blade windshield wiper system to a multiple wiper blade system to reduce or eliminate the problem described above.
Thus, a need exists for a new and improved windshield wiper system for securing multiple wiper blades to a wiper blade arm. The new and improved windshield wiper system must be compatible with various windshield designs including highly curved windshields.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a locking clip for securing a wiper blade to a wiper blade arm.
In accordance with this and other objects, the present invention provides a windshield wiper system. The windshield wiper system has a wiper blade arm, a plurality of wiper blades, and a locking clip. The wiper blade arm is adjacent a windshield for cleaning the windshield by moving reciprocatingly across the windshield. The wiper blades are slidably secured to the wiper blade arm. Further, the locking clip is provided for holding the wiper blades in close proximity to each other.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a wiper blade end bracket is provided for retaining each of the plurality of wiper blades into engagement with the wiper arm.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention the wiper arm includes a primary bracket and a plurality of secondary brackets.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention each of the plurality of wiper blades have blade ends which are slidably secured to the secondary arms and are positioned to overlap at the blade ends.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention the locking clip has a blade engagement portion for slidably engaging a blade end of each of the plurality of wiper blades.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention the locking clip has an wiper arm engagement portion for attaching the clip to the wiper arm.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention the locking clip has a first clip portion and a second clip portion.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention the first clip portion includes an aperture for receiving a fastener for securing the first clip portion to the second clip portion.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention the second clip portion further comprises a plurality of apertures for receiving a fastener for securing the second clip portion to the first clip portion, wherein a length of the locking clip may be varied by selecting one of the plurality of apertures and receiving the fastener therein.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a windshield wiper assembly for cleaning a windshield is provided. The windshield wiper assembly includes a plurality of wiper blades, a windshield wiper arm, and a locking clip. The plurality of wiper blades contact the windshield and move reciprocatingly across the windshield. The windshield wiper arm is provided for supporting the plurality of wiper blades. The locking clip is attached at a first clip end to the windshield wiper arm and at a second clip end to one of the plurality of wiper blades for positioning the plurality of wiper blades proximate to each other.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a windshield wiper assembly for cleaning a windshield is provided. The windshield wiper assembly has a plurality of wiper blades, a windshield wiper arm, and a locking clip. The plurality of wiper blades contact the windshield and move reciprocatingly across same. Further, the windshield wiper arms are configured to provide support for the plurality of wiper blades. Additionally, the locking clip has a first clip portion and a second clip portion for adjusting a length of the locking clip. The first clip portion is attached to at least one of the plurality of wiper blades and the second clip portion is attached to at least one other of the plurality of wiper blades.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a method for replacing a single windshield wiper blade with a plurality of wiper blades is provided. The method includes removing a first wiper blade from a wiper blade assembly, attaching a locking clip to a wiper arm of the wiper blade assembly, sliding a second wiper blade onto the wiper arm until an end clip of the first wiper blade engages a prong portion of the locking clip, and sliding a third wiper blade onto the wiper arm until an end clip of the third wiper blade engages a second prong portion of the locking clip.